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PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK
RUEHYG
DE RUEHBM #0640 2640427
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 210427Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9908
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS BUCHAREST 000640 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EUR/CE SCHEIBE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV RO
SUBJECT: PM TAKES LAST STEP ON LEGISLATIVE FAST-TRACKING; 
OPPOSITION NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION UNLIKELY TO SUCCEED 
 
REF: BUCHAREST 615 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  On September 17 opposition parties PNL and 
UDMR filed a no-confidence motion in the government of PM Boc 
after the final step in the Cabinet's attempt to fast-track a 
legislative package through Parliament (reftel).  No members 
of the ruling coalition parties PDL and PSD have signed the 
no-confidence motion.  The motion is expected to fail in a 
vote scheduled for September 21.  We expect the political 
dance to continue as PSD and PDL party leaders meet 
separately on Monday to finalize their strategies next week's 
no-confidence vote,  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU)  On September 15, Boc presented to Parliament three 
major pieces of legislation for which his cabinet would 
"assume responsibility" (reftel).  On the 17th, the 
opposition National Liberal Party (PNL) and Democratic Union 
of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR)  filed a no-confidence motion 
against one of them, the bill on a unitary pay scale 
(reftel).  No member of the governing PDL or PSD parties 
signed the motion, though PSD and PDL will hold separate 
party leadership meetings on September 20 to determine their 
voting strategy.  The no-confidence motion must be voted 
within three days and will likely be subject to a secret 
ballot.  In the unlikely event the no-confidence motion 
passes, the Cabinet is dissolved and the bill fails. 
Otherwise, the bill becomes law. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Neither PNL nor UDMR expect the motion to succeed, 
as together they command only half of the 236 votes (50 
percent   1) needed for passage.  UDMR chairman Marko Bela 
described the motion as an opportunity for the opposition to 
air its grievances.  PSD chairman Mircea Geoana opposed the 
fast-track procedure but said his party will not support the 
no-confidence motion, citing the need to prevent a political 
crisis.  He complained about PDL's "blackmail" masterminded 
by President Basescu and said his party will try to amend the 
legislation soon. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Basescu's PDL is divided.  Many MPs and local 
organizations would like to throw PSD out of the coalition, 
but this would likely require PDL members to vote against 
their own party and Prime Minister.  As PDL chairman, PM Boc 
has opposed such a move on the grounds that it would harm 
PDL's image.  Equally importantly, the government 
restructuring portion of the legislative package (reftel) 
would implement much needed reforms mandated by the IMF as a 
condition for disbursing the next tranche of funds to support 
GOR salaries and pensions.  President Basescu admitted 
publicly earlier in the week that if without the IMF money 
Romania would face a difficult situation. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment:  In fact it is PSD that finds itself in a 
difficult situation.  PDL's skillful maneuvering to date has 
highlighted PSD as an open critic of the Government, but PSD 
leaders are so far unwilling to sacrifice the patronage and 
financial resources that come with governing by actually 
quitting the coalition.  Whether this apparent two-faced 
approach will cost PSD electoral points remains uncertain, 
but it is unlikely to help.  End Comment. 
GITENSTEIN